Bridge Over Troubled Water
by GallifreyDreaming
Summary: Reese Andrews* finds himself struggling to cope with his job and life when he stumbles upon Genevieve. He, unwittingly, becomes her knight in shining armor. As their relationship grows, a romance between them isn't as easy as one would think. Despite their best efforts, it seems like someone is out to sabotage their relationship, but who? *Names changed, but still a Reid FanFic.
1. Bridge Over Troubled Water - Chapter One

Reese pulled his jacket tighter around himself as he walked through the park. The mid- October nights had become, almost, frigid. Today, Reese had slept on the plane on his return flight home, and couldn't coax himself to sleep once he arrived home. The newly formed habit of walking at night seemed to help the reoccurring insomnia that has recently plagued him, and he didn't mind the cold. In his nightly wonderings, Reese had discovered that there was no one out, and the walk had a rather calming effect. When Reese came upon the river that ran through the park, he noticed a figure upon the bridge. The trees obscured much of his view, and the rustic street lamps left the area a bit dark, but Reese could definitely make out the figure of a person past the benches. Any person out in the park drew his attention due to the late hour, but Reese became increasingly bothered as he observed that this person was on the wrong side of bridge.

Swiftly, Reese made his way to the bridge while the cool air bit his cheeks. The taste of adrenaline filled his mouth as Reese's heart thumped wildly in his chest. The woman, he found, was hanging on to the railing looking down into the river. "Hey! Hey, are you ok?" Reese called out. The woman jumped at the sound of his voice, and clutched the railing tighter. "It's ok. It's ok. I'm not going to hurt you. I'm not going to hurt you," Reese assured her, slightly panicked that he may frighten her enough to make her lose her grip. Keeping his eyes on the woman, Reese felt around his pants' and jacket pockets to find his credentials. "My name is Reese Andrews. I'm with the FBI," Reese explained as he approached her and extended his credentials towards her.

The girl stood frozen from fear and cold. As Reese got a closer look, he noticed the tear stains down her face and red and swollen eyes. Her curly hair was unrestrained, and went in every different direction. "I… I was just trying to … trying to see the river," she stammered. She took a moment to take in the man in front of her as Reese glanced down to assess the river below. The young man was tall and a bit thin, and his sandy blonde hair was a bit long. He looked very young, with a boyish manner about him. He wore dark jeans, Converse sneakers, a button up shirt and tie, with a cardigan over it. The whole outfit may have made it look like he was wearing his grandfather's clothes, but it was more than likely that he intentionally wore what he did to make it seem like he was older.

"I understand," Reese responded as he fumbled, trying to place his credentials back in his pocket while not taking his eyes off the woman in front of him. "I'm just afraid you're going to slip and fall. Let me help you," he offered his hand. The curly haired woman stared at him for what seemed like forever. "I'm not going to hurt you, I promise," he assured her again.

Tentatively the woman took his hand and let him pull her over the railing. She stumbled into him, her body weak from holding on to the railing. Reese held her upright close to him and could feel her body trembling. "Are you ok?" Reese asked her.

The woman looked up at Reese and stammered, "Yeah, I'm fine."

Reese let go of the woman for long enough to take of his jacket and wrap it around her. "You must be freezing," he remarked he felt her tremble. "There's a coffee shop open late just down the road. Let me buy you a cup of coffee," Reese offered. He was too afraid of letting her go, and wanted to make sure this woman was safe.

The woman pulled away from him, and looked around. "I… uh… I don't think…" she started. Even though the man did show her a government ID, it didn't necessarily mean that it was a good idea to go off alone with him.

"I just want to make sure you're ok," Reese assured her. Her body still tense, the curly haired woman nodded in agreement. "If I'm going to buy you coffee, I should probably know your name," Reese laughed.

"Genevieve," she chattered.

The walk to the coffee shop was mostly a quiet one. Reese attempted to fill the silence by introducing himself, and giving a few obscure facts about the history of the park and the city. Once the couple entered the coffee shop, the warmth and smell of the coffee evoked a wave of fatigue upon Genevieve. Reese ushered Genevieve to the counter and asked her what she wanted. Genevieve was too focused on her environment to pay attention, but, out of the corner of her eye, Genevieve tried to focus on Reese. She tried to take into account the way he moved and his breathing pattern. Ultimately, she was trying to determine if he was a threat, but everything about him screamed genuine. "Genevieve," Reese called to her as he moved downward to place himself in her line of sight. She tensed and inhaled sharply, clearly on edge. Reese's clear eyes, and crystalline voice, held her in place and drew her in.

She managed to wake herself up enough to give her order to the cashier. Reese escorted Genevieve and their beverages to a small table in the corner. Reese got a better look at Genevieve in the light of the coffee shop. She looked exhausted with swollen, dark circles under her eyes. Reese couldn't help but notice, however, how green her eyes looked under the backdrop of the redness that infiltrated them. The color of her eyes made his heart stop, and he instantly felt a twinge of guilt. Although they were beautiful, it was only her tears that accentuated their color. Despite her disheveled appearance, Reese couldn't help but notice how beautiful Genevieve was. Her skin was clear, and curvy body couldn't be hidden under the clothes that she wore.

"It's a little bit late to be out looking at the river," Reese commented.

With a slight smirk, Genevieve's green eyes peered into his and retorted, "It's a little late to be walking around a park."

Reese smirked into his tea cup. "I, uh… have a lot going on at work. I needed to clear my head," he explained.

"I guess I needed to clear my head too," Genevieve admitted.

Geneviève also began to feel more comfortable with Reese. He even managed to make her smile a few times. Reese seemed to know everything about everything, and it intrigued her. She wanted to stay up all night just to ask him questions about all of the things she didn't know that she didn't know. Genevieve began to wake up, and the anxiety and fear she felt dissipated. She had been so afraid of what she might do, and began to feel more comfortable with herself again.

She finally admitted, "I wasn't going to jump." Reese stared at her, tongue moving across his lips in thought. "I mean… I wanted to," she continued, tears beginning to well in her eyes again. "Maybe that's why I was crying. Because I wanted to, but I couldn't. Because I wanted to, but I knew that I wouldn't."

A frown appeared on Reese's face as his intense stare burrowed into her. "Do you have someone you can stay with tonight?" he asked. Genevieve shook her head in response. "Do you have someone you can call?" Reese pressed.

"I … I don't have anyone," Genevieve answered, a bit frustrated, while she wiped a tear from her cheek. "I'll be fine Reese, honestly. I'll be fine." She glanced out the window to see the indigo night sky giving way to discernable shades of lighter blue. "I should probably get home. It's getting late…. or, well, early," Genevieve joked.

As the two rose from their seats, Reese said, "I should take you home. My car is in between here and the park."

A lump formed in her throat as she physically became tense again. "Reese, I told you I'd be fine," she repeated.

"I know. I'm sure you will. I just don't feel comfortable letting a woman walk home alone in the dark," he explained.

Hesitantly, Genevieve nodded as she walked down the cold sidewalk towards the park. "Where do you live? Around here?" Reese asked.

"I live by Elm and Stanford," she replied.

Surprised, he turned to look at her. "You walked all that way?" he asked.

"I guess I didn't realize how far I had walked. And guess I didn't take into account that I'd have to walk back," she explained sheepishly.

The ride back to her apartment was mostly quiet, and Reese walked her to her front door in continued silence. Summoning the courage, Reese said, "Let me see your phone." Genevieve stared at him for a moment, not fulling understanding what he was asking and why he would need her phone. "Please," he urged.

Genevieve pulled her phone out of her pocket and handed it to him. With a few taps and swipes of his finger, Reese gave her phone back. "I programmed my number. If you need anything, just call me," he urged.

All that Genevieve could do was muster a halfhearted smile, and agree to call if she needed anything. Genevieve relaxed and let fatigue take over her body once Reese left. The little amount of time that they spent together left her exhausted. Pretending to be ok took all the energy that she had. She curled up on her bed with a fuzzy blanket and fell to sleep on a pillow that was slightly damp from her tears.


	2. Bridge Over Troubled Water - Chapter Two

"Reese, how long has it been since you've had a break?" the director of the bureau asked.

Reese sat across the director's desk, wishing he were anywhere but there. The dark wood accents of the room seemed confining, and he caught himself looking through the blinds. The few hours of sleep he got weren't enough, and his mind of uncharacteristically preoccupied. He took a moment to push the hair away from his face.

"I just had my days off last Tuesday and Wednesday, sir, "Reese responded.

"That's not what I meant," Director Burns responded. Director Burns shifted his considerable weight in the chair. His suits had recently become a little too small, and it made him a bit uncomfortable. "You need a real break. In addition to the upcoming holiday. Honestly, I'm worried about you," he admitted.

Reese didn't know how to take his bosses concern. He was touched, but immediately worried that his boss thought that he may not be able to do his job. "Sir, I can assure you…." Reese started.

"Son, you're a fine agent," Director Burns interrupted. "I just want to make sure that you stay that way." Reese nodded in acknowledgement, but said nothing additional. "I'm just asking you to take a week. Yes, it will seem like a lifetime, but you'll be much more refreshed when you get back. Ready to get to work," the old man encouraged.

The last thing that Reese wanted to do was to take a break. Any momentum he may have gained in his cases would be lost in that week. The unfinished nature of his work, all of the unsubs that they didn't catch, had begun to weigh heavily on him. A week off of work seemed like it would only add to his anxiety. Still, he hesitantly accepted his fate and began his week off by trying to get some much needed sleep.

When Genevieve awoke the next morning, she hoped that she would feel better, but didn't have any such luck. It took a moment before she could really feel anything. So much of her felt empty, at first, that she only laid there like a shell of what used to be a person. Part of her wished that she hadn't woken at all, and she began to burst into tears when she realized that she was awake. Genevieve got up fairly quickly, however. If she lingered in bed, she imagined that she would just liquefy and become one with her bed and never get up again. She dare not even sit. Genevieve willed her limbs into the shower and forced herself to shower and dress immediately. She had to keep moving and thought that it was safest for her to continue with her usual routine and go for a run.

In the middle of her run, the music that Genevieve was listening to was interrupted by a text. She came to a confused stop to see who in the world would be texting her. A text message from Reese appeared.

With insomnia not allowing Reese to get any sleep, he had texted Genevieve and asked her to join him at the local bookstore. They had coffee and books, and felt that was the best type of relaxation. He had also been anxious about leaving Genevieve the night before. Reese knew that she wouldn't have jumped. Statistically, it's not very likely that women kill themselves by jumping off a bridge. By the time she left, she seemed to have a lot of clarity and that was a good sign. There was something genuine in her sadness that troubled him, however, and Reese needed to make sure that she was ok.

He lingered at one of the front tables, looking at various books, and anxiously waited for her arrival. Although she said she would come, Reese remained slightly skeptical. An audible sigh of relieve emitted his lips when he noticed a curvy, auburn haired girl walk in. While she wasn't dressed provocatively, he couldn't help but notice her seductively wide hips that made her jeans fit a little loose around her waist. Her breasts filled out the t-shirt she was wearing, which only accentuated her hour glass figure.

The young woman looked towards him, her green eyes lit up slightly. Noticing the book he had in his hands, Genevieve said, "I watch the t.v. show, but I haven't read any of the books."

"There is a whole series that takes place before the Time War in Gallifrey…" Reese began to exuberantly explain the Doctor Who series. He brought his summary to an end, hoping that he didn't scare her off. She just stood, smiling at his excitement.

She longed to be that excited about anything. Genevieve remembered being that passionate about things. Obsessive about things. Things that once brought her joy seemed so hallow somehow. It made her heart ache a bit.

Reese's eyes drifted to the woman's pronounced collarbones, and imagined his lips drifting across them and towards her neck. Quickly, he recovered an asked, "Can I buy you a coffee?"

The young girl blushed a bit, and Reese thought it may have something to do with the way that he was looking at her. She hesitated, and he thought for sure that she would decline. "Um…I… ok. Yeah," she finally answered. Genevieve had picked up a bottled tea drink instead of a coffee.

"So, Genevieve, what do you do? Are you a student?" he asked as they made their way to the café.

She was slightly amused that he thought she was a student. "I'm a professor actually," she responded with a frown. The two sat with their beverages. Reese noticed how Genevieve turned the tea bottle in her hand, peeling the label in a slight but very particular manner. Each section that she peeled had to be just so before moving on to the next section. Reese could only assume she had some sort of mild OCD or anxiety-driven compulsion. His assumption was confirmed as he continued to analyze her. Her clothing was well fitted, and her hair was neatly affixed. Her nails were acrylic, and Reese felt that is was safe to assume she got her nails done not just for ascetics, but because she could probably chew her fingernails off if she didn't.

Genevieve caught him staring at her, and sat back. Noticing her body language, Reese quickly continued the conversation, hoping he hadn't made her feel uncomfortable. "What do you teach?" he inquired.

"Literature," Genevieve answered. "What do you do for the FBI? You don't really look like an FBI agent."

Reese paused, not sure if he should tell her what he did for a living. "I'm… a statistician," he finally said. It wasn't a complete lie as one of his Masters degrees was in mathematics.

Genevieve seemed a bit skeptical and asked, "So you work on top secret stuff?" Genevieve mused.

Reese smiled to himself, and said, "Something like that."

"How does one get a job in the Government? Is that something you always wanted to do?" she inquired, her green eyes sparkling.

"I was recruited out of college," Reese explained. "I have four Bachelor degrees, two Masters degrees and two Doctorate degrees. And speak English, French, Spanish, Italian and Russian," he answered.

Blinking at him, Genevieve asked, "Is that all?"

Looking up at her from his coffee, Reese said, "Well, I just learned German yesterday, but I don't feel like I've acquired enough to say I'm very fluent."

It was quite humorous to Genevieve how casually he said that he learned an entire language in one day. Genevieve's IQ was in the higher range at 128, but she couldn't imagine what someone like him went through from day to day. "What's it like?" she asked him softly.

Looking confused, Reese asked, "What is what like?"

"What's it like being you and having to live among us mere mortals?" Genevieve asked with a smirk. Embarrassed, Reese blushed. "Don't do that," she said. "Don't be embarrassed or ashamed. And don't let anyone make you feel that you should be."

Reese looked up at the woman sitting across from him, and was utterly transfixed. Genevieve bit her lip, wondering what he was thinking. "Well, I should get going," she explained.

As if this woman wasn't smart and pretty and witty enough. With everything that Reese had seen, he relished Genevieve's nurturing and compassion. "Let me buy you your book," Reese said quickly as he reached for her book.

"You really don't have to…" she began.

"I insist," he argued as the two made their way to the cashier. "I just… wanted to make you

happy." A blush formed across Genevieve's cheeks and nose. She mumbled quick thanks while examining the floor. "Are you feeling any better? Did you sleep?" Reese inquired.

"Yeah," Genevieve lied as easily as she always had. As a profiler, Reese knew better, but said nothing.


	3. Bridge Over Troubled Water - Chapter 3

When Genevieve got home that next Wednesday afternoon, a bouquet of beautiful roses was waiting for her on her doorstep. Their sweet smell wafted around her as she searched them for a card. She didn't find a card, but carried them in. Before doing anything else, she posed them on her kitchen table so she could take a picture on her phone. Though she may have tried, Genevieve couldn't help but smile at the idea that Reese was thinking of her.

Late that night, Genevieve sat at the desk in her small apartment grading papers from her introductory Literature class. While the apartment was small, it reminded Genevieve of a cottage somewhere, so it felt like home to her.

She tapped her red pen on the desk, not able to concentrate. Genevieve stared at the book with Reese's phone number. She had set the book on her desk on top of her closed laptop.

Before she really knew what she was doing, she was dialing his number. What was she going to say? Perhaps she should have thought this through, but it was too late. He had already answered the phone. There was a moment's hesitation. "Genevieve?" Reese finally asked.

"Yeah! Hi. Um, I didn't wake you did I?" she managed to finally get out.

"Uh, no. No," he answered quickly. Genevieve heard some rustling and some people in the back ground. Finally, she heard a door shut, and the background was quiet. "So, uh, are you ok? Something wrong?"

Genevieve's breath caught in her chest. Although she didn't read into it too much, she couldn't help but feel touched that Reese always asked if she was ok. The tone in his voice, and the way that he asked, began to make Genevieve think that he actually meant it. "Yeah, no. I'm fine. I was just, grading some papers, and I wanted to thank you for the flowers," she answered.

"Flowers?" he asked.

"The flowers you sent," she clarified.

"Um, I didn't send you flowers," Reese replied.

Anxiety got the best of her, and Genevieve got up and started pacing. "Oh… well there was no card, and I just assumed that uh…" she rambled. It was presumptuous of her to think that it was Reese who sent the flowers, and she immediately regretted calling him as her heart beat wildly in her chest.

"Don't get me wrong, I wish I had. I just… didn't. Who are they from?"

She thought a minute. If they weren't from Reese, who were they from? "I have no idea. I mean no one's ever… I mean no one would…," she stammered. It was, most certainly, a mix up at the floral shop. If there were a card, she could have called to correct it.

"Another admirer it sounds like," Reese suggested. "Send me a picture," he said. She mumbled in agreement and sent the picture she had taken. "They look nice. Now I'm more jealous that I didn't send them. I have some competition I suppose."

Self-consciously running her hands through her hair, she said, "I highly doubt that. Anyway... I just wanted to thank you for the flowers you didn't send I guess." Genevieve paused to cringe. "Anyway, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to bother you."

"You didn't," he said quickly. "I'm still working actually."

"Like at the office? That's late," Genevieve commented.

Scoffing, Reese replied, "I took some time off, and had a lot to catch up on." Some talking and noise interrupted Reese. He paused to talk to someone and then came back on the phone. "So, I was thinking, do you want to go out Saturday?" he asked.

Still thrown by the embarrassment of him not sending her flowers, Genevieve attempted to gather her wits about her and hesitated, murmuring, "Well, I don't know if I… I mean…."

"Please? You'll have fun, I promise," Reese urged.

"Yeah, ok, I can… I'm free. We can… yes."

Reese let out a raspy giggle that sent butterflies through Genevieve's chest and stomach. "I can't wait. Call me later," he said.

"Yeah," she assured him.

"Ok. I'll let you go. Hear from you soon?" Reese asked.

"Ok. Bye," she said softly. After Genevieve hung up, she let out all the air she didn't know he had been holding.

Once Reese hung up the phone, he let out a breath he didn't know that he had been holding. Making his way out of the small conference room he hid in to take his phone call, Reese maneuvered through the offices until he got to the tech department. Andrea Balducci was the department's greatest technology resource, and had gotten them out of more jams than anyone could count. Reese considered her a close friend, and perhaps the only one that he could confide in.

Multiple monitors were active at once when Reese walked in. Andi sat among all of them, expertly digging for information and updating resources so the team could do their job. Upon her feeling someone hover in the doorway, Andi turned around. "Hey there! What can I do you for, sweet pea?" she greeted.

"Oh, nothing… I just wanted to come say hello. So… hello," Reese said awkwardly.

With squinted eyes, Andi said, "You're being weird. And not just your normal weird. And I'm not just saying this because I've been around you guys enough to start profiling too, because it doesn't require a profiler to see that you're acting weird. Spill. What's going on."

Reese let out a small smirk, but remained very serious. "Can you keep a secret?" he asked her.

Leaning forward in her chair, "Oh you have something good!" she exclaimed. Quickly she pulled another computer chair closer to her. "Sit," Andi commanded.

For a brief moment, Reese wondered if he should say anything to her at all. The thought quickly passed, however. Andi was a good friend, and he really did trust her. "Well, I've kind of met someone," he started, but was interrupted by a shriek.

"I'm sorry. Like a real someone? Like a real woman? You.. oh. I'm sorry. Continue," Andi calmed herself. "How did you two meet?"

The excitement in which Andi asked her question made Reese crack a smile. "We, uh," he paused, "we met in the park."

"Oh. Ok. Well that is, uh, interesting. But ok! Well what is she like?" Andi pried.

A smirk passed Reese's lips before running his tongue across his lips in thought. "It's still really early," he prefaced. "But she's beautiful. And warm and caring. She actually has a good sense of humor," he thought. "She's smart."

"She sounds great!" Andi expressed excitedly. "But why is this a secret?"

Nervously, Reese wiped his hands on his pants. "I just don't want James or anyone else making fun of me, or making a huge deal," he confided. Andi started to respond, but was interrupted. "And it's still early. I don't know if she likes me or if I'll even like her. So, please don't tell anyone," he pleaded.

"I won't" Andi promised.

Unsure how to continue, Reese paused. "I did want to ask you one favor," he stated. Andi nodded enthusiastically at his request. "Could you… find some information on her for me?" he asked.

With a stern glare, Andi asked, "So you want me to use government property to spy on your girlfriend?" Reese's face went blank for a moment before Andi continued, "Of course I will! Tell me!"

A swivel of her chair, and she was quickly typing away. "Her name is Genevieve Martin. She is a professor at the University. She lives in an apartment off of Stanford," he began.

Already, Andi had much of Genevieve's life up on her screen. "Oh, she's pretty! She even looks good in her staff picture and no one looks good in their staff picture!" she exclaimed. "Looks like she's always lived on her own. She buys copious amounts of books and coffee. No wonder you get along. She also loves sushi."

"Ok," Reese acknowledged. "Any past boyfriends at all?" he pressed.

"Already jealous?" Andi teased.

"Well, yes and no. She got these flowers today," he explained as he showered her the picture of the flowers that Genevieve received. "She doesn't know who they could be form, so I was just curios if you could help. Do you think you could find the florist that made that bouquet?"

"Well, it would take me a bit, but maybe."

"Just when you have time," Reese clarified.

"Sure," Andi agreed. "So… you want to hear more?"

Reese had begun to walk out of Andrea's office, but could help but turn back around.


End file.
